noun
sea ghost; shipwreck apparition
A ghostly phenomenon or spirit said to appear at sea during storms or shipwrecks in Japanese folklore.
船乗りたちは、嵐の夜にあやかしを見たと語った。
The sailors said they saw a sea ghost on the stormy night.
noun
something eerie; strange thing; suspicious occurrence
Used for anything that feels uncanny, suspicious, or not quite right; can refer to a person, event, or atmosphere.
Whenever I pass by that house, I feel something eerie.
noun
noh mask for ghosts; ghost mask
In Noh theater, a mask type used for roles of the dead or ghostly beings.
能楽師は、あやかしの面をつけて幽霊を演じた。
The Noh actor performed the ghost role wearing an ayakashi mask.
The exact origin is uncertain. It may be related to the classical Japanese word あやし (strange, suspicious), with the suffix かし possibly adding a sense of mystery or ghostliness.